GUANGZHOU --( ASIA TODAY )-- The 23rd edition of the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition (GILE), the most influential and comprehensive lighting and LED event in Asia, is set to take place from 9 ‒ 12 June 2018, at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou, China. Thanks to the positive response from the industry, the “THINKLIGHT” show concept will return and continue to develop at the 2018 show under the theme of “Embracing Changes”. As the lighting industry continues to undergo its digital revolution, thoughts are now turning to how lighting can expand its scope by becoming fully connected and a ‘smartʼ device.

Commenting on next year’s show theme, Ms Lucia Wong, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd, said: “Digital lighting has well and truly arrived. The question we as an industry face is how do we tackle these changes and continue to shine? GILE has always aimed to serve as a platform that gathers the lighting community together. We want people to recognise the potential of light and to explore lighting that is sustainable and contributes positively to our well-being.”

As a trusted platform among industry experts worldwide, GILE showcases the latest technologies and products from the leading brands and also organises a wide-ranging concurrent event programme to address current trends and topics in the lighting industry.

The transition to an LED future

More than 100 years ago, the first flickers of the lighting industry arose with the innovation of electric lights. While the lighting community has progressed in leaps and bounds since then, game-changing technological advances in the industry have been relatively few. Fluorescents, HIDs, low-pressure sodium and MR16 lamps have been turning points in the industry, but the rise of LEDs has been revolutionary.

GILE 2018 will be at the forefront in showcasing how the introduction of LED technology has changed the lighting industry from analogue to digital. Being not only recyclable and possessing a long lifespan, LEDs are also easily integrated with controlling devices, leading to the significant development in connected and intelligent lighting technologies.

The combination of LED lighting technology with concepts such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), Internet of Things (IoT) and big data has led to the emergence of many new application fields. Discussions within the industry today revolve around how lighting can expand its scope and become integrated into our day-to-day lives. For lighting vendors this entails a shift from selling light bulbs to selling a service that is based on IoT connectivity. New market segments such as automative LEDs, small interval LEDs, horticultural lighting, poultry lighting, UV LEDs and IR LEDs are beginning to receive more attention from the industry.

By not only welcoming the leading lighting exhibitors from China and around the world but also through delivering a comprehensive fringe event programme, GILE 2018 will explore the latest industry developments and present a number of new talking points for the industry. A series of high quality speakers will be announced in the lead up to the show.

LEDs and the IoT community – increasing intelligence beyond illumination

Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibtion is where the industry comes to showcase its latest cutting-edge products and technologies and smart lighting will once again be a key product sector at the 2018 show. Integrating network connectivity and intelligence into LED-based luminaries helps form the backbone of smart buildings and cities and makes the vision of IoT feasible. This booming sector of the market is expected to generate revenue of US$4.5 billion by 2026 according to recent research undertaken by the industry.

Increasing intelligence beyond illumination is being taken a step further with ‘semantic lightingʼ, a form of lighting that connects the physical and digital worlds. This revolutionary concept of lighting can adapt intelligently to different users, tasks and environments and can essentially become aware of what it is illuminating. In addition to semantic lighting, human-centric lighting is also becoming more widespread. Helping to relax, alter moods and even to assist in getting a better night’s sleep, human-centric lighting is changing the very way in which lighting is perceived and its role in humanʼs everyday lives.

Over 85% of exhibition space is sold out as well-known brands confirm their participation

The fair’s comprehensive nature covers the production, technology and application sectors of the lighting and LED industry from components and equipment to packaging and applications. With seven months to go, over 85% of the exhibitor space for the 2018 show has already been booked and the fair has once again secured the participation of many globally recognised brands.

Of the leading brands gearing up for the 2018 show, Mr Tom Jory, Vice President of Illumination Marketing of returning exhibitor Luminus, remarked on why GILE is a must-attend event. “Through GILE we are able to connect with our customers and see them all in one place. I have witnessed more and more international visitors over the years and we consistently meet a lot of our target visitors.”

Regarding recent event developments, Ms Lucia Wong added: “We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the international and domestic lighting communities. With their support, the fair has achieved its ambitious aspiration of becoming the industry’s foremost platform for the exchange of market intelligence, technical innovations and ground breaking designs in Asia. We have chosen the theme of “THINKLIGHT: Embracing Changes“ because we believe that with the power of modern technology, the possibilities of light have reached a new dimension.”

The Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition runs concurrently with Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology. Both are a part of Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building Technology fairs worldwide, headed by the biennial Light + Building event which will take place from 18 – 23 March, 2018, in Frankfurt, Germany.

Messe Frankfurt also offers a series of other light and building technology events worldwide, including the Shanghai International Lighting Fair, BIEL Light + Building in Argentina, Light Middle East in the United Arab Emirates, Interlight Moscow powered by Light + Building in Russia as well as Light India, the LED Expo New Delhi, and the LED Expo Mumbai in India.